Is your "specialist" doing any real selling?

The specialist is the person that is assigned to a certain product group. The term most often used to describe the job is he or she “supports” that product in your business.

Why do we need specialists?

The manufacturer may require the wholesaler have the specialist (s) to “support” the product, or the collective voice of the salespeople strongly suggested they needed help selling the product line, or a relative needed a job so a specialist role was created. I want to provide thoughts on the first two reasons.

The first important change to make is to delete the word “support” from the job description. If that is how that person thinks of himself as to his role in the business then you should have a discussion to change it.

A support role implies a more reactive approach to assisting and helping where necessary or when asked. This should not be a reactive role but a pro-active selling role.

If the manufacturer you represent requires “specialist” then certainly hire the required number. But, change their job description from “supporting the product line to product managers. Charge them with being responsible for the total sales of their product group. They also should spend most of their time in front of the best share gain potential customers, not answering phone calls as an inside tech support person.

They should be trained in selling skills and be expected to make solo customer sales calls. Too often these folks complain about the sales people not including them for joint sales calls. That is a very bad thing if that is the reason they are not out in front of customers. They should not need the salesperson to "take them in."

In addition to making them responsible as product managers, they must be included in all products training sessions in the company and be reasonably competent to see, discuss and qualify potential opportunities across the distributor’s product offering. Why not? They are a key part of your selling arsenal, and they certainly have a little extra time in every sales call to look around and mention a few other things on the call.

Now you have terrific sales productivity. Because of this person’s special knowledge in the product they often can get deep into a customer’s business as the technical expert. With this special engagement going on their Call Packet should have a few items on it that opens up opportunities for the total business. If you do not know about working a Call Packet in a customer engagement, please read Cracking Accounts. You can find it and buy it right here on the website, or go to jimambroseworkshops.com